Ten Cliches Christians Should Never Use

We Christians have a remarkable talent for sticking our feet in our mouths. When searching the words most commonly associated with “Christian,” the list ain’t pretty. I think part of this can be attributed to a handful of phrases that, if stricken from our vocabulary, might make us a little more tolerable. Yes, these things may mean something to you, but trust me, non-Christians don’t share your love for these tried-and-true cliches.

So in no particular order, here are ten phrases Christians should lose with a quickness:

“Everything happens for a reason.” I’ve heard this said more times than I care to. I’m not sure where it came from either, but it’s definitely not in the Bible. The closest thing I can come up with is “To everything, there is a season,” but that’s not exactly the same. The fact is that faith, by definition, is not reasonable. If it could be empirically verified with facts or by using the scientific method, it wouldn’t be faith. It would be a theory. Also, consider how such a pithy phrase sounds to someone who was raped. Do you really mean to tell them there’s a reason that happened? Better to be quiet, listen and if appropriate, mourn alongside them. But don’t dismiss grief or tragedy with such a meaningless phrase.

“If you died today, do you know where you’d spend the rest of eternity?” No, I don’t, and neither do you. So stop asking such a presumptuous question as this that implies you have some insider knowledge that the rest of us don’t. And seriously, if your faith is entirely founded upon the notion of eternal fire insurance, you’re not sharing testimony; you’re peddling propaganda.

“He/she is in a better place.” This may or may not be true. Again, we have no real way of knowing. We may believe it, but to speak with such authority about something we don’t actually know is arrogant. Plus, focusing on the passing of a loved one minimizes the grief of the people they left behind.

“Can I share a little bit about my faith with you?” Too often, Christians presume we have something everyone else needs, without even knowing them first. Ask someone about their story, but maybe not the second you meet them. Christian evangelism often is the equivalent of a randy young teenager trying to get in good with his new girlfriend. When your personal agenda is more important than the humanity of the person you’re talking to, most people can sense the opportunism from a mile a way.

“You should come to church with me on Sunday.” It’s not that we should never invite people to church, but too much of the time, it’s the first thing we do when we encounter someone new. My wife, Amy, and I started a new church eight years ago, founded on the principle of “earning the right to invite.” Invest in people first. Listen to their stories. Learn their passions, their longings, and share the same about yourself. Then, after you’ve actually invested in each other, try suggesting something not related to church to help you connect on a spiritual level. If the person really gets to know you and wants to know more about why you live your life the way you do, they’ll make a point to find out. Then again, if you come off as just another opinionated, opportunistic Christian, why should they honor your predatory approach with a visit to the church that taught you how to act that way in the first place?

“Have you asked Jesus into your heart?” As many times as I’ve heard this, I still don’t really know what it means. Why my heart? Why not my liver or kidneys? This also makes Christianity sound like a purely emotional experience, rather than a lifelong practice that can never entirely be realized. But yeah, asking someone if they’re engaged in a lifelong discipline to orient their lives toward Christlike compassion, love and mercy doesn’t exactly have the same ring to it.

“Do you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and savior?” Again, this is not in the Bible. Anywhere. And for me, it goes against the whole Christlike notion of the suffering servant. People tried to elevate Jesus to the status of Lord, but he rejected it. So why do we keep trying? Plus, the whole idea of a lord is so antiquated, it has no real relevance to our lives today. Be more mindful of your words, and really mean what you say.

“This could be the end of days.” This is one of my favorites. We Christians love to look for signs of the end of the world; we practically have an apocalyptic fetish. It’s like we can’t wait until everything comes to a smoldering halt so we can stand tall with that “I told you so” look on our faces, while the nonbelievers beg for mercy. Yeah, that sounds like an awesome religion you’ve got going there. Sign me up!

“Jesus died for your sins.” I know, this is an all-time Christian favorite. But even if you buy into the concept of substitutionary atonement (the idea that God set Jesus up as a sacrifice to make good for all the bad stuff we’ve done), this is a abysmal way to introduce your faith to someone. I didn’t ask Jesus to die for me, and if I’m not a Christian, I really have no concept of how that could possibly be a good thing. The whole idea of being washed clean by an innocent man’s blood is enough to give any person nightmares, let alone lead them into a deeper conversation about what Christianity is about.

“Will all our visitors please stand?” If someone finally is brave enough to walk through the doors of your church, the last thing they want is to be singled out. They probably don’t know the songs you’re singing or the prayers or responsive readings you’re reading. Depending on the translation of the Bible you use, the scripture may not make much sense, and they probably have no idea where the bathroom is. So why add to the discomfort by making them stand so everyone can stare at them? Also, calling someone a visitor already implies they are simply passing through, that they’re not a part of things. Instead of “visitor” or “guest,” try something less loaded like “newcomer.” Better yet, walk up to them, introduce yourself and learn their name.

I can’t believe you left off “God is in control.” In control of what exactly? Was he controlling me when I chose fruit loops instead of cheerios this morning? Is he controlling your rapist or your abuser as they’re committing their crimes? Is he controlling the weather when a tornado touches down and kills your parents?

LucyLou

“God is NOT in control”… hmmm, that doesn’t make me feel better either. Lets try scripture: God is sovereign & omnipotent, there is sin in the world, God has given us free will to choose, it rains on the just and unjust and all things work together for good for those who love God.

jball

“God is in control”, smacks of “Everything happens for a reason.” That is why it can be offensive to some. Ultimately, following the teachings of Christ can help us turn what was meant for evil to good, but that requires us allowing God to have control.

Telecat

Prove it.

Trevor

The biblical question isn’t, “can you proove it?” It’s, “Do you believe?” God is revealed as sovereign in Scripture.

Telecat

No, I don’t. Prove it.

Hil

“…even if you buy into the concept of substitutionary atonement (the idea that God set Jesus up as a sacrifice to make good for all the bad stuff we’ve done)…”

I’m afraid I don’t understand this point. Isn’t “buying into the concept” of Jesus taking our sin upon himself the very basis of Christianity? Are there Christians who don’t “buy into this” concept?

Larry

Yes. There are other views of how the atonement worked. Penal substitution is just the most popular.

tarl_hutch

Currently most popular, others include Christian victor, ransom theory, liberation, moral exemplar, and mixes all inbetween. Every Christian should check them out, very good history and much to think about.

tarl_hutch

Should be Christus Victor…autocorrect.

http://twitter.com/ChrisDonato Chris Donato

None of which are mutually exclusive, btw.

tarl_hutch

Should be Christus Victor…autocorrect.

tarl_hutch

Currently most popular, others include Christian victor, ransom theory, liberation, moral exemplar, and mixes all inbetween. Every Christian should check them out, very good history and much to think about.

tarl_hutch

Currently most popular, others include Christian victor, ransom theory, liberation, moral exemplar, and mixes all inbetween. Every Christian should check them out, very good history and much to think about.

http://valiantforthetruth.blogspot.com Micah Bales

I did wonder whether this line was unnecessarily dismissive of one legitimate, scriptural understanding of the atonement.

geesskay

This is nice, but there aren’t any alternatives offered. In some cases you don’t an alternative because any alternative would be as bad as the original cliche. But for some of these things it would have helped to give alternative choices – activities, thoughts, behaviors. The one about mourning, listening is good and there should be more.

Tim

Too often when I have gone to church in the past, I have had to compartmentalize comments made during the sermons or decide not to listen to the sermon at all. One of these times was a sermon on “If you died today, do you know where you’d spend eternity?” Thank God for pew Bibles. At such times I reach for the Bible and read the Gospels. The Red Letter stuff.

DiB

Hope you are with a better church community now!

Ree101010

This was a fun post. I chuckle at some of the sayings and religious speak we Christians have at times., especially during tradgedy. Pastor David Jeremiah recently did a great teaching on death & eternity that helped me when speaking to a close friend when her dad passed. It’s definitely about those who are left behind. Growing up in a church environment, I have too many I could name here. All jokes aside for a moment, I do question the theological depth of some of the answers given here. The biblical truth of who Jesus is and his purpose should be clear for anyone reading scripture. Jesus is a part of the Godhead and did take upon the sins of the world – basic Bible 101. To say Jesus is not Lord, has not made atonement or that God is not sovereign is a bit suspect. A Jew or Muslim would describe Jesus in this manner since they do view him as a prophet or good teacher. I guess you can use bits of the gospels or Proverbs that way maybe but, as a Christian looking at the Word in its entirety, that would be difficult. I also don’t get the vagueness about eternity. If you’re a believer and have no assurity of salvation, your no different than those who are lost. I don’t daily dwell on the subject since my focus is on my relationship with God and being of service to others but I do have a clue of the promises of God. Great subject about being relatable and not robotic in our speak but weak answers.

Drew

Most of these phrases are okay, but the problem is the context in which they are used. You are correct in pointing out that most of these are cliches and are used way, way too much. #10 is the only one I can think of that should not be used in any situation; talk about making someone uncomfortable!

#2 is the only one I can think of on that list that perhaps should be used more than it is being used. There is not just a decline in Christianity in 1st world countries but really a decline in overall religion. A lot of it is due to living a fast-paced life and not thinking about life’s big questions. “What’ happens after we die” is one of life’s big questions…it can be used in a “fire-insurance” way, but I think it is meant to be used in a way that asks what the meaning of life is. If we just die, then life really has no meaning other than to make our own existence the best possible even if it is at the expense of others.

Anonymous

I agree. Context is important. Some of these questions/statements would be perfectly fine is some circumstances and awful in others. I don’t think #s 7 and 9 need to be stricken completely, just used carefully.

And I’m confused as to why using the word “Lord” to describe Jesus isn’t acceptable…

tarl_hutch

To some the word “lord” conjured up outdated, overly patriarchal images that characterizes a god of empire and not one of love, family, and kindom. Not a problem for all, but for some it is a sticking point. Not to mention, the fact that so many preachers overuse the term and make it sound cheap and silly.

Anonymous

Sure, it can be overused. But I have a hard time believing that the number of people who are offended by the word “Lord” is significant. We can’t drop statements of truth simply because someone, somewhere is put off by them. If they’re put off by the idea that Jesus is Lord they’re going to have a hard time submitting to Him.

Becky

I agree. I mean, I have a hard time reconciling the fact that we shouldn’t say Jesus is Lord when, in fact, the title is ascribed to him in Acts, Romans, Corinthians, Philippians and Thessalonians.

tarl_hutch

What about if we used the word president, or boss, or master? Would these words be equal to the term lord or do we have to stick with lord due to a feudal interpretation of scripture (I.e. KJV)?

Also, though Christian is being a bit over the top, we don’t have to drop anything. If lord works and you like it, go for it. The point is to be conscience of the biases and feelings of others. Much like how the term father for God can be confusing to a person without a father or an abusive one, sometimes we have to modify our approach to speaking of Jesus to fully reach others. Even Paul arrests to this, when he speaks of being all things to all people, we must know our “audience”. Even if something is theologically accurate, does not mean it is the only or even best way to explain it. No judgement on the word, after all it is only a symbol, we give it meaning.

21st Century Episcopalian

I’m only bothered when they stretch it out to a two syllable word

Ginny Barkley Roberts

I think the objection to the word “Lord” is that people do not want to acknowledge that anyone, even God, has the right to tell them what is right or wrong or what is acceptable and unacceptable, which really is the reason we need to be willing to acknowledge that God/Jesus have that right.

Anonymous

I agree. Context is important. Some of these questions/statements would be perfectly fine is some circumstances and awful in others. I don’t think #s 7 and 9 need to be stricken completely, just used carefully.

And I’m confused as to why using the word “Lord” to describe Jesus isn’t acceptable…

Anonymous

I agree. Context is important. Some of these questions/statements would be perfectly fine is some circumstances and awful in others. I don’t think #s 7 and 9 need to be stricken completely, just used carefully.

And I’m confused as to why using the word “Lord” to describe Jesus isn’t acceptable…

tarl_hutch

As you say, technically probably fine, but over used by Christians and it keeps us from truly thinking or feeling. Most people say these things because they don’t know what else to say or because they think they have to. We need to be present in the pain and questioning of others, we need to be thoughtful and authentic, but most of these sayings come off as glib and do nothing to help suffering people. While their may be nothing wrong with them theologically, depending on what you believe, they are over used and make us into cliches of ourselves. There is no substitute for true love and empathy, just as Jesus demonstrated.

Drew

Most of these phrases are okay, but the problem is the context in which they are used. You are correct in pointing out that most of these are cliches and are used way, way too much. #10 is the only one I can think of that should not be used in any situation; talk about making someone uncomfortable!

#2 is the only one I can think of on that list that perhaps should be used more than it is being used. There is not just a decline in Christianity in 1st world countries but really a decline in overall religion. A lot of it is due to living a fast-paced life and not thinking about life’s big questions. “What’ happens after we die” is one of life’s big questions…it can be used in a “fire-insurance” way, but I think it is meant to be used in a way that asks what the meaning of life is. If we just die, then life really has no meaning other than to make our own existence the best possible even if it is at the expense of others.

I always thought the first one came from that verse “All things work together for good for those who love God”? (Romans 8:28)

Ginny Barkley Roberts

And are called according to His purpose” is the rest of that verse, which does change the meaning a little. Also, Corrie Ten Boom mentioned in one of her books that her sister Betsie used to teach her and others that they should give thanks to God for everything. Corrie was very doubtful and asked Betsie…”Even for the infestation of fleas in this barracks?” Betsie said “Yes, even for the fleas.” Only later did Corrie discover that the only reason her barracks was able to keep the one Bible kept during their imprisonment was that the guards were unwilling to enter the barracks to search for contraband (like Bibles) because of the fleas.

Gene

Excellent list!
I’ve been guilty of using a few of those in my younger years. Now that I’m over the hill, I tend to cringe when I hear most of these.

Thanks for posting them.

Patrick

On #2 (Do you know where you would spend eternity?), I am sure of it. Paul seemed to be. He called himself a citizen of heaven and said that the Holy Spirit living inside believers was a seal of our inheritance, including citizenship in Heaven. (Ephesians 1).

On #6 (Have you accepted Jesus into your heart?), the phrase is pointing out that there is an actual moment of conversion for people, not just general belief or actions. This is related to #7 as well (which, by the way, is Biblically-based – Romans 10:9 – “If you accept Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”) And the idea that Jesus rejected being called Lord and that it is wrong to elevate him to the status of Lord is downright heretical. Jesus is God, as stated consistently throughout the Bible (including by Christ Himself – He clearly uses YHWH, or “I AM”, God’s name for Himself (see Burning Bush, Exodus) in John 8:58. Also, see Phil. 2:9. He is equated with the Lord.

Some of these I agree with, but your theology and reasons behind them are incredibly skewed.

http://helapingsten.wordpress.com/ Micael Grenholm

I totally agree, Patrick, thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Austin Drake

Totally agree, especially with your last comment. Some of them I definitely agreed with, but others I had to stop and say “what on earth” because he most certainly lacked knowledge and/or true Biblical support on them. Thank you

Paul John Kurf

Thank-you, Patrick. Very well put. I remember the exact moment, I literally said, “Oh, please come in,” to Christ when I realized that all my understanding of Scripture was intellectual and I needed to invite Him into my heart–my life. I also firmly believe in the assurance of salvation. Not because of what I did, or will do, or continue to do or not do…but entirely because of Him. He cried out “PAID IN FULL” on the cross…not “PAID-UP ONLY TO THE POINT YOU DON’T MESS IT ALL UP AGAIN!”

Point 7 – well, the Bible says that Jesus is our Lord and Saviour for example in 1 Peter 2:11, and claiming that Jesus didn’t want people to elevate Him as Lord is a weak argument since He said for example in John 13:13 that we rightly call Him Lord since that is who He is.

Point 8 – Jesus died for our sins according to for example 1 Cor 15:3, and to assume that no one wants or needs to hear that is quite… strange.
Overall, my impression of this blog post is that it is very strange. It seems like you didn’t get these “revelations” from Bible study or so, but from your anger towards the evangelical church. Take a break and seek God instead of just being bitter.
God bless you!Micael Grenholm, Sweden

cralls

Just a quick comment about your views on Point 8.
I’m not sure where you’re from, but I’m from the Pacific Northwest, and there’s nothing people hate more than to be told that “Jesus died for their sins”. Seriously. You want to be completely rejected, tell them that.

They find it completely insulting. All they hear is that you’re calling them a sinner. All they hear is judgement and that Christians only think that everyone else are lowly sinners, and that they are the ‘saved elite’ and better than everyone else ‘down there’.

Not saying it’s what you believe or are trying to promote, but at least in many places, that’s exactly how it comes across.

TheUmpire91

Yes, the gospel will often offend those who are perishing. But we should still proclaim it. They won’t be rejecting “me”, they’ll be rejecting Christ. And that’s whether they are in the Pacific Northwest of East Timbuktu. Should we be humble? Sure. But let’s not avoid telling the truth (in love) just because we might hurt their feelings or be “completely rejected”. *sigh*

Thomas Austin

While the gospel will offend those who are perishing, to put as much focus on evangelism as Christians often do makes it seem that the worth of a person is bound up only in whether they are saved or not. Non-Christians are viewed only as potential converts and Christians are viewed either as heroes of the faith based on how many people they have converted or as potential apostates. There is a difference between telling the truth in love, which should never be so much a side note that love gets put in parentheses, but should be at the forefront.

Ginny Barkley Roberts

If that statement is prefaced with the scripture,”For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of the Lord”, and “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” it should not sound like we are claiming to be the elite. I’m sure that many will still feel insulted, in fact, they did when they heard that from Jesus and his disciples, but He did not send us into the world to tell people thing that will not hurt their feelings, but instead of that to point them to the truth that we all must face to believe we are sinners in need of Jesus’ atonement and of God’s Grace.

Telecat

You do NOT know you have eternal life. That you think you KNOW that is proof religious people are delusional. Clearly, you are.

crashtx1

Such bitterness. I can refer you to some secular counselors that can help you with your issues. Bitterness is bad whether Christian or non.

Dan

Wow! A cat with keyboard skills…

jordan

If I could choose a delusion and somehow forget its a delusion, it would be eternal life. And what’s the harm? Let them be.

crashtx1

Very valid points, particularly regarding “fire insurance”. I’m not telling you that I know where you are going, because I do not, but I better know where I’m going.

Anonymous

All things work for the best, for those who love the Lord and are called according to his principles. Romans 8:28. That’s where the first on your list really comes from.

The other 9 I’m not so sure

Jeff

I believe that the rationale behind the writing of this article is sound. We, as Christians, must be cognizant of what our words and deeds really say about our Savior, our faith and our lives. That said, I believe that there are some very large theological holes in this piece. That we might not be privy to where our eternity lies? I do agree that we have no idea where another person stands, save for conversations and observations about their faith that may be had through the course of time, but we can unequivocally know where we ourselves stand. For example, “This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life.. & Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life” (Jn. 6:40a and 47, NRSV). These two verses demonstrate very clearly we that can most surely know that we can have eternal life available to us so that we can live without doubt in that regard.
Also, that the idea of a lord is antiquated? I could not disagree more stringently. Kurios is used throughout the New Testament and is meant to convey power and authority, regardless of specific utilization and context. The word, Lord, whether in Hebrew or Greek appears over 7800 times throughout the Bible, so there would seem to be a theme present. Lordship must necessarily recognized by humans because to fail to do so allows us to promote self to the place that is rightfully God’s. That thought is what lies at the heart and nature of sin.
Finally, it must acknowledged that no matter how sensitive we attempt to be in our approach to others – and we should be – we have to remember the most important problem with that. The cross of Christ always has been and always will be an offense. It is an offense to our sensibilities, an offense to our logic and an offense to our minds. Gal. 5:11, for example. And again, the cross is foolishness, I Cor. 1:18. Any way you slice it, you cannot make the concept of the cross, atonement and the cleansing of sins palatable. It isn’t PC. It isn’t readily logical. Yet, without the cross, without the teaching of the cross and the reception of the gift of the cross, we will never truly be what it is to be a Christian: a sinner saved by grace through faith alone.
There are some thought-provoking statements being made throughout this piece but at the same time, there are some tremendous theological landmines present as well.

Ginny Barkley Roberts

Very well put!

Telecat

You have no idea where YOU stand. Did Jesus come to you and say, “you’re SAVED!”? If he didn’t. YOU DON’T KNOW and I wish you xian assholes would quit saying you know, because to do so presumes to know the mind of your doG, and THAT is the sin of pride, known today as hubris. DO you really think some invisible sky fairy has 72 virgins for you?

crashtx1

Wow, what a unique statement. Can we add “sky fairy” to the list of things we wish non-Christians wouldn’t say? Please, think of something unique and don’t just parrot everyone else.

Josh McDowell

Good word… #9 is vital… and I don’t subscribe to substitutionary atonement.

Honestly, you’re making mines out of molehills. To minimize Christians to statements such as these is only to divide. Even though some Christians could say these things to non-believers and make them feel as though they are reading a book of cliches they could also touch someones heart. And yes, I said heart. God can use anything. Anyone. Anywhere. Don’t doubt God’s power and judge us by our words. It’s our actions that count. And if God is in us…our fruit will be shown.

Redhat

There’s another one you could add. Its saying “i’ll pray for you” in certain circumstances. During conflict or debate someone saying “i’ll pray for you” comes across pretty much the same as if that person had said “F-you” and the phrase also smacks of self-righteousness. On social networks its used as an ‘out’ and a way to shut a person/the debate down. This is especially true if the person you say this to isn’t a christian, or does not know you in a personal manner. If you want to pray for the person, do it but don’t use it in a negative way and you really don’t even need to tell the person that you are arguing that you feel the need to. Secondly, when people use it in a time of pain and anguish. If a person is sick, take them a bowl of soup, if they need help, help them. Be there to offer a hug, a listening ear or a warm smile. Say your prayers, but put your own words into action. Show them that you, the person; not the christian, really cares about them. Just exclaiming that “I’ll pray for you” can come across coldly and meaning the same as ‘you aren’t important enough for me to actually help you, but i’ll say five words on your behalf to my god”. Again, you may feel the need to pray for the person, you may believe that this is the best course of action but sometimes just actually being present and offering a little something in person can go a long way in letting a person know that you care.

Nanaverm

I agree with the idea of saying “I’ll pray for you” and doing nothing else being a low-involvement, “Christian out”. But how about the listening, giving help or soup or whatever that person needs, and then offering to pray WITH that person (present)? If the person declines, ask if you can keep him/her in your prayers. Respect any “No” and yet show a sense of caring for that person.

http://www.facebook.com/johnrobinsonbigorna John Robinson

Those are 10 reasons why I’m a Catholic convert from mainstream Churchianity.

http://www.facebook.com/dave.mcmahon.733 Dave McMahon

You seem to make quite a few assumptions. What do you do with “These things have been written so that you may know that you have eternal life..”? “He who has the Son has the life…” It’s easy to take pot shots at phrases that we think are archaic – and I don’t disagree that we use a glossary of jargon that those apart from any Christian context shake their head at, but to “chuck” things like Jesus died for your sins believing that a person without Christ would have no understanding as to what that might mean or that they could have to concept as to how that could be a good thing – is to ignore the experience of myriads of folk who came to faith in Christ [at least in part] through the use of that phrase.

http://www.facebook.com/Clubbeaux David Sims

You’ve never read John 13? What kind of church did you plant?

http://www.facebook.com/sforesman1954 Scott Foresman

Jesus Christ IS Lord. You lost me at point #7. Antiquated? No real relevance? Nonsense. “Atonement for us. I am not saying that substitution is the one and only meaning of the cross, for the cross speaks also of victory over evil, the revelation of love and glory through suffering. But if you are talking of atonement, the means by which we sinners can be reconciled to the God of holy love, why then, yes, I don’t think we can escape the truth of the divine substitution.” — John R. W. Stott

Telecat

“Jesus Christ IS Lord.”

Prove it.

Amy B

Gah I love when people use this argument. It really isn’t up to us to definitively prove Christ’s lordship (or lack thereof)
I do believe that Christ is lord, but I know well enough that the burden of proof isn’t on me, it’s on Him. I can point you to the many times Christ said that he is from the Father. That’s kind of what irritated the Jewish people, his claim to lordship.

But seriously, stop using “prove it” as some sort of argument or dialogue starter.

Bobbie McMillan

Are you really a preacher of christianity? I am sorry but I have never heard a preacher talk like you do. Maybe if I had I would not hate the religion with a passion that borders on obsessive. Have you ever been to a church in North Carolina? I’m afraid they would rebuke you with almost the same fervor they do me. That being said I wouldn’t mind hearing more.

http://yaholo.net/ Yaholo

You’re an a roll.

Alex

I disagree with most of the points on this article.

1-“Everything happens for a reason.” Author mentions that our faith cannot be empirically verified with facts. This is not true and it would mean that we have blind faith but instead there are many historically and scientific proofs corroborating the Bible and this is empirical.

2-“If you died today, do you know where you’d spend the rest of eternity?” No, I don’t, and
neither do you”. Disagree with author again, I do know where I would spend eternity and yes I do have an insider knowledge from the Creator, it is not presumptions is a fact. 1 John 5:13

3-“Can I share a little bit about my faith with you?” Too often, Christians presume we have something everyone else needs, without even knowing them first.” Well I know (using my insider information) that we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Rom 3:23, therefore everyone need the salvation we have in Christ Jesus.

4-“Do you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and savior?”Accepting Jesus as your personal Savior means placing your own personal faith and trust in Him. No one is saved by the faith of others. No one is forgiven by doing certain deeds. The only way to be saved is to personally accept Jesus as your Savior, trusting in His death as the payment for your sins and His resurrection as your guarantee of eternal life. John 3:16

5-“Jesus died for your sins.” Opposite to what the author is saying, if you introduce the Ten
commandments first, then the substitutionary death of Christ for our sins makes perfect sense. Gal 3:24-26

Finally , this article is the perfect example of the dangers modern Christianity. The true Gospel needs to have the Ten commandments first otherwise it is not good news but the author of this article is trying to make Christians believe that we should build a relationship with someone before introducing the need of a saviour. But Jesus never did that, instead He always preached
the news of His father on every occasions, you won’t find Him wasting time building relationships in the NT. He was direct and warned people of the perils of them dying on their sins all the time He
could.

Bob Birdsong

Which is exactly why I would tell you and your religion to shove it, smug jackass.

Telecat

I love how these assholes are so fucking smug and sure of themselves. They’re the same kind of people who use IVF and then proclaim “GHAWD WANTED US TO HAVE A BAY-BAY!”

Do ya think the DOCTORS might have had something to do with it? Do ya think maybe you’re infertile because GOD DOESN’T WANT YOU TO HAVE A BAY-BAY?

Amy

This article bothers me, not because of the gaps in argument as others have already pointed out but because of the fact the you’re saying “don’t say these things you’re accustomed to saying” but then NOT giving an alternative. For the people that actually took this to heart, you’ve now left in a spot of confusion. They no longer know how to talk about Jesus to people who don’t know him without diving right in to the heavy, personal, wildly unbelievable (at first hearing it) stuff which, honestly, is even more of a turnoff.

Telecat

I have an alternative: shut the fuck up.

Matt

I love the heart behind this! I say this completely disagreeing with several of the points. As Christians we must be careful with our words, humble ourselves, and ask God to shape our heart to reflect His.

It is true, many of the questions are unbiblical (such as asking Jesus into oneʻs heart).

However, as Believers we know that 1) Everything does happen for a reason (Romans 8:28, Psalm 139:16, and draws from the larger understanding of Godʻs sovereignty); 2) We can be assured of our salvation (1 John 5:11-13, Romans 8:38-39); and 3) We can point to the salvation of others (as we see with every verse where the Apostles discuss other churches/saints/etc. Of we donʻt do this by authority but as a means to show that said person was a part of the Christian community. There is always a level of uncertainty regarding someone elseʻs heart, but just as we donʻt deny communion to those who display true signs of conversion we do not need to discuss the deceased in such ambiguity).

Finding truth in partial preterism, I definitely cringe when I hear other believers talking about “Obama being the antichrist” or some other new idea. While much of Bible prophecy has been fulfilled, I donʻt think most Christians approach eschatology with a “told you so” attitude. While I wouldnʻt rule this out completely, I think most comes from a genuine excite at being face to face with the Lord.

Peace.

M

I’m not Christian, and I never have been, and I never will be, and I completely endorse this message. It could really change people’s perception of your religion if you took these suggestions to heart. Some people have no idea how badly they present their faith. I’ve known some really wonderful and real Christians with the ability to share the wonderful strength and beauty of their beliefs, but they’re vastly outnumbered by the off-putting ones. Based on this comment thread, though, I don’t see those percentages changing any time soon.

Telecat

HAHAHAHAHA! I have responses for each one!

Everything happens for a reason – Prove it

If you died today, do you know where you’d spend the rest of eternity? – At a bar and grill?

He/she is in a better place – How the fuck would you know?

Can I share a little bit about my faith with you? – Only if I can hit you in the head with a steel pipe

You should come to church with me on Sunday – And you should let me have my way with you but you won’t, will you?

Have you asked Jesus into your heart? – What’s it to you?

Do you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and savior? – What the fuck’s it to you?

This could be the end of days – And I could become George Clooney, right?

Jesus died for your sins – YOU WERE THERE? ALERT THE MEDIA!

Will all our visitors please stand? – Will all the church regulars please strip naked?

Ginny Barkley Roberts

Jesus told His disciples as he sent them out two by two to preach the gospel that if they should go some place where they are rejected to just go on their way, shaking the dust of that place off their shoes, not because He and they do not care about those people, but that their ears and minds are closed to the good news and they should not continue trying to argue them into belief, and they should not stay around to suffer abuse hurled by closed minded people.

Telecat

Good. Stay the fuck off my doorstep.

Ashley

No one here hates you.

Telecat

Stay off my doorstep anyway.

crashtx1

Dude, you have some real communication issues no matter what your beliefs.

Kristian Denman

This is what happens when we lose our way and become pleasers of men and not pleasers of God. This particular post is symptomatic of the times, (ironically the contributor claims in another post not to be people who are obsessed with signs) which were prophesied. Today Christians are vilified where in centuries gone by this dogma was respected. Scripture hasnt changed in all this time and it still speaks as loudly today as it ever did, but it is the moral compass of this generation that has changed. The reason why the church is under attack has little or nothing to do with fundamentalism but everything to do with the self sufficiency of the post modern mind. Mankind has striven to rid itself of Gods authority and in an attempt to be palatable to this generation, many teachers have compromised themselves and the word in order to be assimilated to this generation.

ClassSprite

Hey, have you taken a look at your heart lately? Or soul or eternal essence or whatever “non-organ” you would like to call it? You did make some valid points about the “over-emotionalizing” of Christianity. But you also proclaimed some absolute abominations against a God you claim to be your own. The point of Christianity is NOT to be some kind of boss, rational being who refuses to make people uncomfortable. The point of Christianity is a relationship with God the Father who loved us enough to die for us. Yes, it’s personal. And yes, you will make people uncomfortable. Dying is uncomfortable, and that is exactly what Jesus asks us to do. I appreciate your saying that we do need to be careful not to be above those we reach out to. But we don’t need to be above each other, either, and none of us reading this got much of a humble-opinion vibe from you. I think you may need to re-evaluate your stance in the eyes of the One who made you because from the outside, it really sounds like you do not know Him as well as you seem to think.

Phearran

“Everything happens for a reason” So, not only did my child die but he was *meant* to die?!

Lisa Marie Gilbert

Funny story about #3 . We used to live in Turkey . My daughter fell in love with a rabbit that was owned by a Turkish shop keeper . She would ask to go to the shop everyday to see the rabbit. One day we went and the rabbit was gone . I asked the shop keeper where the rabbit was and he answered ” He is in a better place” . Our whole party lowered our heads and were sad. I told the man how sorry I was that he had lost his pet. He looked very confused and told us that the rabbit was not missing , he was now living on a farm in the country where he could be free . We all laughed and I told him what the saying means in America . He was astonished that we would think “dead” would be a better place !

Tommy Carrington

Regarding #2, what do you do with 1John 5:11-13 – vs. 13 says: “These things I have written to those who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may KNOW (greek: epignosis) that you have eternal life.” This categorically declares that one can know without a doubt that they have eternal life. Why would one not declare it based on the authority of God’s Word?

Elizabeth Stewart

As someone who grew up in the church and left it as soon as I was able, I say yes to all of this. Maybe Christians just don’t realize how offputting all of these cliches are to non-Christians. Within the church, you can debate them all you want, but if your intent is to get non-believers to give your religion a chance, these are things you just shouldn’t say.

Widge Widge

Some of the article is true some rubbish

jim

May I suggest one more cliche?

“Ten cliches Christians should never use”.

Aahhhh, the formula of should.

copyrightman

Like others I found I agreed with some things in this post and strongly disagreed with others. Yes, we should not buy into the tendency to reduce the “Gospel” to a transaction in which individuals obtain fire insurance. But — “Jesus is Lord” is the Church’s, and each Christian’s, most basic historic confession. And though we can’t “know” the final outcome of the final judgment — only God knows that — we can have “assurance” through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the scriptures, and the sacraments. Finally, that Jesus died for us and for our sins is another basic, historic Christian confession, regardless of how one precisely susses out atonement theology. It seems that in an effort to correct some modern Fundamentalist-Evangelical distortions, this post distorts a bunch of things in other directions.